Zoe Saldana Answers YOUR Questions

Zoe Saldana will marry you. A couple of weeks back, StarTrek.com invited fans to submit questions that we’d ask Saldana when we got her on the phone again to talk about reprising her role as Uhura in Star Trek Into Darkness. Lots of you sent in questions and, as promised, StarTrek.com posed the most frequently asked and/or the most interesting questions to the actress. The most frequently asked question: Will you marry me? Check out her replies:

Why does Spock love Uhura, and why does Uhura love Spock? What do they see in one another?

SALDANA: I think they’re both very strict, very disciplined. They like to follow rules because they feel very safe following them, but there might be a wild side to them, and when they’re together might now show it to everyone.

Have you stayed in touch with Nichelle Nichols between films?

SALDANA: I have not, but I admire Nichelle and look up to her very much.

If you had the chance to meet Gene Roddenberry, what’s the one question you’d most want to ask him?

SALDANA: I don’t think I’d ask him a question. I think I’d just say, “Thank you.”

Uhura, in the 1960s, was part of the idea of unity among humans to achieve greatness. That greatness translated to opening doors to women in various industries, to pursuing fulfilling careers. Do you see your portrayal of Uhura continuing that?

SALDANA: I think that you can always be inspired taking off of a platform that has already been established, and which was done so beautifully before you. That can only be a plus to you. So you take inspiration from it, but you never lose sight that you also can allow yourself space to be creatively free.

The new films have made major changes to the Star Trek world a lot of fans knew. Just two include the destruction of Vulcan and the Uhura-Spock romance. What were your thoughts on the writers doing that?

SALDANA: I’m fine with it. You know why? Because we’re showing the characters before you first saw them on the Enterprise in the series. This is when they’ve just graduated from Starfleet Academy. They feel very uncomfortable in their own skin and they’re filled with self-doubt. They’re meeting for the first time. Because that was never explained before, there was a lot of creative space to explore that.

What’s your favorite scene in the new movie?

SALDANA: When they get to go to new places and are involved in action sequences, that, to me, is really exciting. I won’t talk about a specific scene. I will tell you my favorite line, and it’s said by Kirk. He just says, “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I only know what I can do.” I was so moved by that line.

Chris Pine said he didn’t take anything from the set because he was too scared. Zachary Quinto said he asked for and received a couple of pairs of Spock ears. Simon Pegg stole a combadge. So, what did you swipe or ask for?

SALDANA: I think I kept one of the scripts, I have to say. That’s why I’ve been so quiet up to now.

That’s probably worth a lot of money…

SALDANA: Yeah… if I’m willing to sell, which I don’t think I will be… now.

What has been the easiest thing and the hardest thing about playing this iconic role in this iconic franchise?

SALDANA: The easiest is playing a character that’s already been well written for you. You don’t have to fight the creators or the director or the studio to get to see more versatility in the character. The hardest? Learning Klingon. I learned that by sitting down with a teacher, with the linguist they flew in from San Francisco to work with us. I think I over-stressed it weeks before getting to my rehearsal time and then eventually shooting it. By the time I got to shooting it, it didn’t feel as difficult as I thought it’d be.

You’ve just signed on for Guardians of the Galaxy, making you a key player in three major franchises. What’s that like for you, to be part of Trek, Avatar and Guardians?

SALDANA: It feels pretty cool, I have to say. It’s not something I’ve purposely been looking for. I just happened to be moved by three characters that are part of stories that have very common ground. And I signed on for Guardians because I liked the script, the director, the casting and the possibility of being green. Gamora stands by really great principles. She’s extremely feisty. She’s a fighter. And she’s green.

And, last but not least, the most-asked question was: Will you marry me? Forty-something guys asked that, and to them you say…?

SALDANA: (Laughs) Thank you. If there were 40-something me’s, I think I would encourage them to say Yes!